Louver structure



Sept. 5, 1967 G. w. MINDS, JR

LOUVER' STRUCTURE Original Filed Jan.

INVENTOR 650355 w. MINQSJR BY a? ,4 TTOR/VEYS United States Patent M 3,339,330 LOUVER STRUCTURE George W. Minds, Jr., Pacific Palisades, Califi, assignor of one-half to John B. Colligan, Glendale, Calif. Continuation of application Ser. No. 335,721, Jan. 6, 1964. This application Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 583,150 2 Claims. (Cl. 52-473) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a removable panel louver structure comprised of first and second spaced jambs each having a pair of spaced side walls extending towards each other for receiving the ends of a panel therebetween. Panel seating means are connected to each side wall of each pair in face-to-face relationship, each panel seating means being formed by a tab projecting outwardly from This invention generally relates to louvers and more particularly relates to fixed louver structures adapted primarily for use in commercial buildings.

The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 335,721 filed Jan. 6, 1964, now abandoned, which was a continuation-in-partof applicants prior application entitled, Louver Structure, filed July 13, 1961, under Ser. No. 123,744,-now issued as Patent No. 3,120,- 036 on Feb. 4, 1964.

The latter application discloses an improved fixed louver structure in which the louver panels are bowed about their longitudinal axes in order to have their end portions inserted into opposing jamb members. Cooperat ing with the panel members are flange members and notches provided therein which are associated with each jamb to cause the end portion of the panel to remain in its bowed shape and thereby bias the panel into compressive engagement with the particular portion of the jamb involved.

As an illustrative embodiment, the aforementioned application discloses a pair of opposite inwardly extending flanges associated with each jamb that connect with or are integrally formed with the opposing sidewalls of the jamb member as such.

One of the objects of the present invention is to eliminate the necessity of providing the inwardly projecting opposing flanges, and instead provide panel seating means associated directly with the sidewalls of the respective jambs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved fixed louver structure in which panel seating means may be economically and conveniently formed 3,339,330 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved louver structure which does not require screws, bolts, or equivalent fastening means with the objective that the structure may be more economically manufactured and more quickly assembled than possible heretofore.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved fixed louver structure which enables the ready replacement, disassembly and assembly of louver panel members.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally attained by providing a louver structure for retaining panels including first and second spaced jambs, each of the jambs including a pair of spaced sidewalls. Each of the sidewalls on each jamb has a projecting portion extending towards the other wherein a panel seating means is formed or connected to each sidewall of each pair. A panel extends between the jambs with each of its opposite ends having its opposite sides disposed respectively in such panel seating means.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the opposite sides of the panel is normally greater than the corresponding distance between the respective points of the panel seating means on each sidewall so that each of the end portions of the panel must be bowed about the longitudinal axis of the panel to be received between the panel seating means and thereby retain the panel in place under compression.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference to the drawings, showing merely an illustrative embodiment, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved fixed louver structure, according to the present invention, showing a part of the panels removed to illustrate more clearly the specific improvement of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows 2--2 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1, an improved louver structure according to the present invention including a jamb structure or means 10 and another opposing jamb means 11, said jambs being coupled together at their bottom portion with a sill structure 12. Of course, as a completed unit, the louver structure would also include a head portion coupling together the upper ends of the jamb members 10 and 11- Extending between the jambs 10 and 11 are a plurality of louvers 14 identical to those shown in the aboveidentified patent application. The louvers 14, in accordance with the features of the invention set forth in the aforementioned application, are designed to be bowed about their longitudinal axis for cooperative fastening to the opposing jamb members 10 and 11.

The improvement of the present invention resides in the particular structure for coupling the louver panels 14 into the opposing jambs. Thus, the present invention eliminates the necessity of providing flanges as shown and described in the aforementioned application.

Referring to the view of FIGURE 2, it will be seen that the jamb 1t) (and only one jamb will be described since both are of identical construction) includes a pair of vertically extending front and rear sidewalls 15 and 16 held in spaced parallel relationship by a transverse partition 17 extending therebetween.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the sidewalls 15 and 16 include, respectively, inwardly extending portions 18 and '19 which co-function with the transverse partition 17 for the purpose of seating an end portion of the panel louver 14. In order to vertically position the panel 14 and at the same time cause it to maintain its compression in a bowed state, the portions 18 and 19 are provided with projecting portions. Thus, the sidewall portion 18 is provided with a projecting tab 20 which may, in one embodiment, be forced out from the portion 18 to leave an opening 21 therein. Thus, if the sidewalls 15 and 16 are formed of aluminum or some other relatively thin sheet metal, the tab may be punched out of the sidewall portion 18 and bent upwardly into position (substantially at right angles or normal to sidewall portion 18) preferably by some type of automatic machine tool operation. A similar tab 22 may be formed on the inwardly extending portion 19 of sidewall 16. Such openings 23 are left in the sidewall portion 19.

It must be appreciated that the tabs 20 and 22 must retain the panels 14 relatively permanently in the bowed, compressed state; therefore the tabs must be subject to considerable loads without bending or deteriorating under wear. These design problems are susceptible of solution so long as proper thicknesses of metal are used for the jambs 10 and 11 and particularly the sidewall portions 18 and 19 thereof, and further assuming proper metals, as such, are used.

It is of course conceivable to form the tabs 20 and 22 by other means, for example, by merely forming small angular members that are welded, riveted, or otherwise attached in position so as to form a projecting step or ledge serving as a seat in conjunction with the sidewalls and transverse partition of the jamb for retaining the end portion of the panel. These variations and other types of tab structures are deemed to come within the scope of the present invention.

It will also be appreciated that from an aesthetic viewpoint, it is desirable to cover the tab openings 21 in the outer visible sidewall 10 of the jamb 11 and the similar openings in the jamb 11. Towards this end, some type of channel member might be employed which could be positioned so as to enclose the outer sides of the sidewalls 15, 16, and extend across the exterior edges of these members. Otherwise, strips of metal, plastic, or the like, could be afiixed by screws or other means to the sidewalls 10 and 11 to cover up the openings therein.

As clearly shown in the view of FIGURE 3, the panel 14 would merely be inserted between the tabs 20 and 22 by bowing it in the same manner as described and shown in the aforementioned patent application.

It will be appreciated that various materials may be used in the structure so long as the panels are susceptible of bowing compression to form a shorter width such that they fit within respective jamb members 10 and 11. The aforementioned and other modifications and minor changes, it is believed, will be obvious to one skilled in the art and are believed to fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A panel louver structure including: first and second spaced jambs; a pair of spaced sidewalls secured to each of said jambs, said pairs of sidewalls extending from said jambs towards each other; a panel seating means connected to each sidewall of each pair in face to face relationship, each panel seating means being formed by a tab projecting outwardly from its associated sidewall in a substantially horizontal plane normal to said sidewall; a panel extending between said jambs, said panel having its opposite ends dimensioned such that the opposite sides thereof are disposed, respectively, in position against the face to face sidewalls to seat between associated tabs, the distance between said opposite sides being normally greater than the corresponding distance between respective seating points of the tabs so that each of the panel ends must be bowed about the longitudinal axis of said panel to be received between the tabs to retain said panel in place under compression and whereby said panel is removable.

2. A panel louver structure according to claim '1, in which said tab is formed by cutting and bending inwardly and upwardly a given area of the associated sidewall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,210,516 8/1940 Wheeler 223 2,842,811 7/1958 Weeks 52473 2,988,183 6/1961 Hallock 52-473 X 3,120,036 2/1964 Minds 52-473 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PANEL LOUVER STRUCTURE INCLUDING: FIRST AND SECOND SPACED JAMBS; A PAIR OF SPACED SIDEWALLS SECURED TO EACH OF SAID JAMBS; SAID PAIRS OF SIDEWALLS EXTENDING FROM SAID JAMBS TOWARDS EACH OTHER; A PANEL SEATING MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH SIDEWALL OF EACH PAIR IN FACE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP, EACH PANEL SEATING MEANS BEING FORMED BY A TAB PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM ITS ASSOCIATED SIDEWALL IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE NORMAL TO SAID SIDEWALL; A PANEL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID JAMBS, SAID PANEL HAVING ITS OPPOSITE ENDS DIMENSIONED SUCH THAT THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF ARE DISPOSED, RESPECTIVELY, IN POSITION AGAINST THE FACE TO FACE SIDEWALLS TO SEAT BETWEEN ASSOCIATED TABS, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID OPPOSITE SIDES BEING NORMALLY GREATER THAN THE CORRESPONDING DISTANCE BETWEEN RESPECTIVE SEATING POINTS OF THE TABS SO THAT EACH OF THE PANEL ENDS MUST BE BOWED ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID PANEL TO BE RECEIVED BETWEEN THE TABS TO RETAIN SAID PANEL IN PLACE UNDER COMPRESSION AND WHEREBY SAID PANEL IS REMOVABLE. 